The present invention relates generally to an attachment device, shelf rail clip, and shelf management and display system.
A widely used shelf management system in retail stores includes a front rail that attaches to the top front edge of a merchandising shelf. This shelf rail is the basis for a shelf management system that organizes product on the shelf. A dovetail slot and cavity generally run the length of the shelf rail. The shelf rail, in turn, typically runs the length of the merchandising shelf.
A retailer may desire to attach various objects, such as signage and coupon dispensers, to the front edge of the shelf or the shelf rail. At present, mechanisms allowing a retailer to attach various objects to such shelf rails have significant shortcomings. For example, a shelf rail mounting device may be designed with a male dovetail section that matches the dovetail cavity of the shelf rail. The retailer may then couple the mounting device to the shelf rail by inserting the male dovetail section into an open end of the shelf rail dovetail cavity and then sliding the mounting device to the desired location along the shelf rail. One shortcoming of such a shelf rail mounting device is that often the open ends of the shelf rail are not readily accessible. The retailer must either move the shelf to allow the insertion of the mounting device in an uncovered open end of the shelf rail. Another shortcoming of such a mounting device is that the shelf rail of interest is often already populated with other mounted objects, such as signs, displays, and price numbers, which interfere with sliding the mounting device to the desired position along the shelf rail.
In another design, a shelf rail mounting device may include a male dovetail section that is made from a compressible material. A retailer may insert and remove such a mounting device by compressing the compressible male dovetail section and forcing the compressed male dovetail section into the shelf rail dovetail cavity. While such a mounting device provides for direct insertion of the mounting device into the shelf rail at a desired location, the mounting device suffers from deficiencies due to the compressible material. Such deficiencies include limited lifespan of the mounting device due to wear and tear of the compressible material, and limited coupling strength between the mounting device and the shelf rail, which allows mounted devices that are inadvertently bumped to become disengaged from the shelf rail.
Thus, the need exists for a shelf mounting device that provides for easy attachment of the shelf mounting device to a shelf rail at a desired location and provides a strong coupling between the shelf mounting device and the shelf rail.